Why do newborns hiccup

Burping will also help because it places your baby into an upright position. The American Academy of Pediatrics AAP suggests burping your bottle-fed baby not only after feeding, but periodically during the feeding as well.

If your baby is breastfed , burp them after they switch breasts. Do not slap or hit this area roughly or with too much force. When your baby starts to hiccup on their own, try allowing them to suck on a pacifier , as this will help relax the diaphragm and may help stop the bout of hiccups.

If your baby seems to be in discomfort because of their hiccups, you could consider trying gripe water. Gripe water is a combination of herbs and water that is believed by some to help with colic and other intestinal discomforts, though no evidence exists to support it. The types of herbs can vary and may include ginger, fennel, chamomile, and cinnamon. Gripe water has not been clinically shown to help with hiccups in babies.

It is also considered a supplement, and so gripe water is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Check the ingredient list before giving store-bought gripe water to your baby. Avoid products that contain vegetable carbon sometimes labeled as carbo vegetabilis or activated charcoal , alcohol, and sucrose.

All of these ingredients can have adverse effects in babies. Babies under 1 will hiccup fairly often, so letting them be is probably your best bet. There are a few ways to help prevent hiccup episodes. Your baby's healthcare provider can also provide guidance and reassurance about what to do to help prevent hiccups some of the time. If you have a well-baby checkup coming up soon, you could even ask about it then.

Maybe you can stop for a little baby tummy time with her. What Causes Hiccups in Newborns and Babies? How to Help Prevent Hiccups in Your Baby If your baby tends to get hiccups at feeding times , make sure she's calm and not overly hungry when you feed her. Why do babies get hiccups? Hiccups have nothing to do with breathing. They are caused by sudden contractions of the diaphragm triggered by irritation or stimulation of that muscle.

Some leading pediatricians are of the opinion that infant hiccups are usually caused by feeding breast, formula or other foods or by a drop in temperature that causes the baby to get cold.

Hiccups are considered harmless unless they prove persistent enough to interfere with regular feeding and sleeping. Babies with gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD may tend to hiccup more frequently, accompanied by spitting up, coughing and irritability. Such behavior should be mentioned to your medical advisor as should very frequent bouts of uncontrollable hiccups, particularly after age 1.

In some cases, hiccups can be caused by GERD, or acid reflux. If a baby's hiccups seem to interfere with their breathing in any way or your baby is turning blue, call and seek medical attention right away.

Although they're typically harmless, there are ways that parents can help prevent babies from experiencing hiccups. Take note of when your baby's hiccups are occurring.

For example, if they are only happening after your baby's feedings or when you lay him in a certain position, you could be triggering the hiccups and can adjust how and when you feed your baby or what position you place him in. If your baby hiccups often or seems uncomfortable with their hiccups, you can try some of the following solutions to help prevent hiccups from occurring. Hiccuping is a function of the body that begins well before the baby is even born. There are many theories regarding why our bodies hiccup, but none has been proven yet.

In general, hiccuping is very normal in babies, especially newborns, and will decrease as your baby gets older. If your baby is having hiccups that seem to be causing her pain or discomfort or is having other symptoms with her hiccups, such as vomiting, it is best to check with a doctor to make sure there's nothing else going on that could be causing the hiccups.

Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Howes D. Hiccups: A new explanation for the mysterious reflex. Hiccups: a common problem with some unusual causes and cures. Br J Gen Pract. Cleveland Clinic. Updated October 31, Event-related potentials following contraction of respiratory muscles in pre-term and full-term infants. Clinical Neurophysiology.